From the Boston Globe:
In Denver an 11th-hour agreement last Friday ended up allowing anti-war veterans to march in the city’s parade after being told a month ago they were banned.
A writer for the Long Beach Press-Telegram received some critical messages after he defended veterans wishing to protest in that area’s parade. Unlike in Denver, no agreement was reached and protesters were absent from the event. One message read:
When one a sign belonging to one of the protesters fell on the ground, Florence Sebern stood on it and refused to move in a protest of her own. “Today is a day of patriotism, not politicism. Period. End of statement,” she said.
Air Force veteran Jim Hill said the groups should be allowed to march in the parade. “They put in their time, they lost their buddies too, their friends,” he said.
In the Santa Barbara Independent, anti-war Vietnam veterans stated their own reasons for condoning protests at these types of parades:
Often the military is portrayed as being of a single mindset. These events show views among the ranks are as diverse as those of the general American public.
